Poetry Jam this week has chosen the theme of “Fire” to stimulate our creative writing endeavours: “However you want to write it, let the emotion and memories of fire flood over you and write how you feel when the word ‘Fire’ is spoken out loud.”
Here is my offering:
Here is my offering:
The Burning
The fire burnt my house
The smoke stifled my breath;
The flames licked my memories,
The tablet wiped clean.
The smoke stifled my breath;
The flames licked my memories,
The tablet wiped clean.
Wind-carried sparks surround me
Igniting my flammable mementos.
The embers glow, the hot ash flies
My place of refuge, now a hell.
Igniting my flammable mementos.
The embers glow, the hot ash flies
My place of refuge, now a hell.
All’s lost up in smoke,
My eyes are blinded by my fears,
My tears making of the flames
A watery incineration.
My eyes are blinded by my fears,
My tears making of the flames
A watery incineration.
The earth is roasted dry,
Even the air is fire-red.
My house no more a haven
My home no more.
Even the air is fire-red.
My house no more a haven
My home no more.
My pockets empty,
All that I have the clothes I wear.
My mind is desiccated
All dreams have sublimated.
All that I have the clothes I wear.
My mind is desiccated
All dreams have sublimated.
The fire burns, the flames destroy:
All my possessions charred and gone;
The fire cauterising wounds
It, itself, has opened.
All my possessions charred and gone;
The fire cauterising wounds
It, itself, has opened.
The fire robbed me of my home,
The smoke asphyxiated me.
My souvenirs are smoke
All of my pages, ash now.
And yet you live, I still have you by my side,
The things lost, no more important than fallen leaves.
Stand by my side, hold my hand, and hope,
For the fire in our hearts, can make of this barren, deathly place
A paradise, again.
The smoke asphyxiated me.
My souvenirs are smoke
All of my pages, ash now.
And yet you live, I still have you by my side,
The things lost, no more important than fallen leaves.
Stand by my side, hold my hand, and hope,
For the fire in our hearts, can make of this barren, deathly place
A paradise, again.
This is exactly it. When I lost everything in a fire, my mother couldnt understand how well i handled it. I told her, "we're all alive" - the rest was just Stuff.....which one starts over and accumulates again. But the things that mattered - were the people. And fortunately, we were all alive. I resonate most strongly with this poem. And the courage of the narrator.
ReplyDeleteExcellent write. The physical fire as deserter but the spiritual fire as stimulus for creativity.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, this is so powerful, the heart passion that overcomes the physical destruction. Well done.
ReplyDeleteStrong personal writing here. So very sad if a home is destroyed by fire. There are some treasures that just cannot be replaced. I agree it is a good thing that no lives were lost in the fire for sure, but still I think I would have a hard time with the loss of so many treasures from my life. It is good that the fire in your heart remains, which gives a reason and a purpose to rebuild.
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope this is fiction... but either way, your priorities are spot on. Life is all that matters
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine the initial sense of loss and the feeling of helplessness in watching one's home go up in flames ... your response and resolve at the end of the poem is so hopeful, though!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hope that I could handle the loss as well as you have described here.
ReplyDeleteYou have it just right here--so much loss, but if the people are OK that is the important thing. I do hope this is fiction for you--but the description is so apt I somehow think you have had this experience.
ReplyDeleteWow, powerful piece. I love . . . my tears making of the flames a watery incineration. I hope I never have to experience this kind of loss.
ReplyDeleteThis was devastating .. until the last lines .. and hope reared its lovely head.
ReplyDeleteReading your poem is like seeing the Phoenix rising again. I love the note of hope and triumph in the end.
ReplyDeleteIt is who will stand by your side in the fire that is your true love...nice poem
ReplyDeleteYou have saved the most important things. Now, bring on the phoenix!
ReplyDeleteI hope it's not a true story. Very powerful feelings emerging here.
ReplyDeleteFantastic poem!
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of things I'd hate to lose, even though they are valuable only in my eyes. But I agree that being with the one you love has no price.
ReplyDeleteits what is really important in the end you know...the people survived...and while we may not have money to replace what was lost we can make more...but people are important...had one of my students whose house burnt down over the holidays....
ReplyDeleteIt is inconceivable that type of loss. You wrote this with such intensity, it felt like from personal experience, I hope that isn't the case. Well done and a perfect ending.
ReplyDelete